Slack or cuttings removing device for kerf-cutting machines



July 27, 1948. F. A. LINDGREN 2,445,957

sLAcx 0R cUTTNGs REMOVING DEVICE FOR MRF-CUTTING MACHINES Filed May 10, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ll' Jo F. A. LINDGREN SLACK OR CUTTINGS REMOVING- DEVICE Juy 27, 194s. 2,415957 i FOR KERF-CUTTING MACHINES 'Filed May 1o, 194e 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. A. LINDGREN SLACK OR CUTTINGS REMOVING DEVICE FOR KERF-CUTTING MACHINES July 27, w48.'

rs Vsheets-sheet 5 Filed May l0, 1946 Patented July 27, 1948 sinon on oU'rTINos nEMovINo nevica Foa Kann-CUTTING iviAonINEs Frank A. Lindgren, La Grange, Ill., assgnor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, `Ill., a corporation of Illinois application May 10, 1946,v serial No. ,668,963 j (o1. 2oz- 28) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in slack or cuttings removing devices for kerf-cutting machines of the mounted type adapted to out anarcuate kerf in a mine Wall along the `mine bottom,

and has among other objects to provide a novel an-d compact form of slack removing device for a korf-cutting machine of the class described for efficiently removing the cuttings from its cutter chain.

Devices of the screw conveyor type for removing the cuttings from the underframe of akerfcutting machine, to reduce the amount of cuttingsicarried back into the kerf by the cutter chain, have heretofore been used with shortwall machines with a great @deal of success. These slack removing devices besides increasing the einciency of the machine byltaking the cuttings away from the cutter chain so they are not carried back into the kerf-also reduce the dust in the air for the reason that the cuttingsare conined to the underframe of the machine kand are ldischarged from the underframe along the ground 4by the screw conveyor, the pile being built up by the conveyor from its inside. With the shortwall type of cutting machine, however, the travel of themachine is fast enough to prevent the building up of the pile of coal to a height which would reduce the efficiency of the screw conveyor and place excessive loads thereon. When attempting i to use this same type of slack removing device on a machine of the mounted type, which cuts an arcuate kerf by movement of the cutting element about a fixed vertical axis, the distance traveled by the rear end of the cutter chain is relatively short compared to the length yof the kerfcut, with the result that `the pile of slack coal becomes so high that the efficiency of the screw conveyor-,is reduced and the power required to drive the screw conveyor is increased to such an `extent as lto greatly hamper the use of slack removing devices for this type of korf-cutting machine,

In carrying out my invention I remedy these diculties by attaching a simple and efficient form of power driven screwrconveyor to the rear end of the cutter head of a mounted type keri- -cutting machine, `which opens in cuttings receiv ing relation with respect to the cutter chain of the machine and is arranged to confine the cuttings as they leave the kerf and to discharge the cuttings at the rear of the cutter chain to one side thereof. I also provide a pile leveling means mounted on the cutter head of the korf-cutting machine which is arranged in the pathof the icutlto tings discharged therefrom, to level off thepile of cuttings discharged by said screw conveyor and avoid the overloading of said yconveyor element that would be caused by the building up ofhigh piles of cuttings from the inside of the pile by said screw conveyor element.

These and other objects of my invention will appearfrom time to time as the following speciiication proceeds and withreference tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is `a fragmentary View in side elevation ofthe front end of a mining machine of the mounted type, with certain parts thereof broken laway and certain other parts shown inwsubstantiallylongitudinal section;

FigureZ is a fragmentary transverse sectional l `View taken through the cutter chain drive sprocket `oi' the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional` View showing certain details of vthe `means for leveling the pile of cuttingsdischarged by the screw conveyorand `of the drive tothe screw conveyor andthe pile leveling means;

Figurefl is a fragmentary transverse sectional view takenvthrough the screw conveyor `and pile leveling means;

Figure 5 is `a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5` of Figure Figure `6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line I--6 of Figure 4; Y

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line -lI-l of Figure `3; and

Figure 8 is an end View of the cuttings removing conveyor with certain Vparts of the pile leveling means shown in section.

In the embodiment of myinvention illustrated in the drawings, the slack removing device is shown as being applied to a korf-cuttingmachine II) of the mounted type. Said kerf-cutt'ingmachine may be of a well known `construction and operation and comprises a turntable II mounted on atruck I2 and having a cutting element I3 mounted thereon on trunnionsupports HI',` IIL-and projecting beyond the 4forward end of said truck andturntable.

The cutting element I3 has a cutter head I5 depending `therefrom and verticallyy adjustable with respect theretoinguides I6,I6, in manner which is usual with machines of this type. Said cutter head is of a `well known construction and includes a pivoted cutter bar support I1, lwhich forms a support for a projecting cutter/bar t9. Said cutter bar and support are adjustable about a vertical axis coaxial with a splined drive shaft 24 and may be locked from turning movement about said axis during` the cutting operation. Pivotal adjustment of'said support and cutter bar is provided to permit the cutter bar to be positioned to extend along a rib of the working place in substantially parallel relation with respect thereto, when the machine is to one side of said rib. A cutter chain 20 is guided for orbital movement about said cutter bar and is driven from a cutter chain drive sprocket 2l mounted on a lower end of a sleeve 23 journaled in said cutter bar support. Said sleeve in turn is driven from the lower end of the splined shaft 24, which is vertically slidable in the hub of a bevel gear 25 journaled in the projecting portion of the cutting element I3, and is driven from a motor 22 at the rear end of said cutting element I3 through a gear train indicated generally by reference character 26. Said gear train may be similar to that shown in Patent No. 1,938,850, which issued to W. T. McCullough on Dec. 12, 1933, :and is no part of my present invention so will not herein be shown or' described in detail.

The conveying means for` collecting and discharging the slack cuttings to the retreating side of the cutter bar includes a tubular casing 21 with a screw conveyor or helical screw 3l) rotatably mounted therein. Said casing is secured to the rear end of said cutter head and extends at a slight angle with respect to the longitudinal center line of the cutter bar so that the discharge end of said casing is closer to the cutter chain as it turns about the drive sprocket 2l than the receiving endthereof, to position an inner open portion 3l of said casing in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain. Said casing is provided with forward upright anged portions 32 and 33 which are detachably secured to wall portions 34 and 35 extending transversely of said cutter head at the rear end thereof, by means of suitable cap screws and nuts and bolts.

The casing 27 is also provided with two laterally spacedarcuate forwardly projecting walls 39 and 40 extending forwardly therefrom beneath said cutter head along the advance and retreating sidesof the cutter chain 20 respectively, and secured to the underside of said cutter head by means of `nuts and bolts 4l, 4I (see Figures 2 and 3). Said arcuate walls have upturned lower endsso they may slide `along the mine bottom and conne the cuttings to the path of the cutter chain 20 as said cutter chain rounds its drive sprocket. Cuttings guide shields 42 and 43 extend forwardly of the forward ends of said arcuate walls 39 and 40 respectively, to a point adjacent the forward end of said cutter head, and are secured to the underside thereof and form forward continuations of said walls 39 and 40, to confine the cuttings as they leave the kerf to the path of said cutter chain and deflect them through the opening 3| in the casing 21 to the screw conveyor 33, and to close said cutter chain as it leaves and enters the kerf, so as to keep down the dust caused by cutting.

The portion of the tubular casing 2l inwardly of the helical screw 30 is closed by a bearing support member 44 having a shaft 45 journaled thereon, intermediate its ends, on a ball bearing 4,6. Said shaft extends within a tubular shaft 41 and has an inner reduced end 49 having a sleeve 50 splined thereon. Said sleeve is suitably secured to the inside of said tubular shaft and forms a means for driving said tubular shaft from said shaft 45. A rod is threaded in the end `of said shaft 45 and extends along said tubular shaft to the outer end thereof. A nut 52 serves to lock said rod to said shaft 45 while a nut 53 threaded ondthe outer end of said shaft abuts the outer end of a closure member 54 for said tubular shaft, to draw said shaft in tight engagement with said splined sleeve 5i? and to secure said tubular shaft to said shaft 45. The blade of the helical screw is suitably secured to the outer side of said tubular shaft and extends therealong, for discharging the cuttings from the open end of said tubular portion of said casing.

The opposite or outer end of the shaft 45 is journaled in an end Wall 55 of the casing 21 on a ball bearing 53.V A bevel gear 51 is freely mounted on said shaft and hasr clutch jaws 59 extending from the end of its hub towards the end wall 55. Said jaws are adapted to be engaged by corresponding jaws of a clutch collar 55, which is feathered on said shaft and serves to selectively connect said bevel gear with said shaft. A spring vce;

5| encircles said shaft and abuts said clutch collar to urge said clutch collar into position to engage the jaws 59, 59. A shifting mechanism consisting of a suitable system of links and levers may be provided to operate said clutch. Said shifting mechanism for said clutch may be of any well known form, so need not herein be shownor described in detail.

The tubular portion of the casing 21 is provided with a hinged door 52 at its upper side, to afford access to the screw 35, to permit the removal of undesirable material which may become lodged therein, when necessary. lSaid door may be interlocked with the mechanism for shifting the clutch collar 65 in a manner similar to that shown and described in Patent No. 2,352,795, which issued to W. T. McCullough on July 4, 1944.

The drive from the sleeve 23 to the` bevel gear 51 and the helical screw 30 includes a spur gear 63 which is driven from the supporting-and driving sleeve 23 for the cutter chain drive sprocket 2l. Said spur gear has a downwardly extending hub portion 64 keyed adjacent the lower end of said sleeve 23 and journaled on its outer periphery in the flanged portion of an annular inwardly flanged plate E5, which is secured to said cutter head (see Figure 5). Said spur gear is of a relatively large diameter and meshes with and drives a spur gear 55 of a smaller diameter than said spur gear 63, which is journaled on a vertical shaft 61 mounted at its ends in the cutter bar support portion l1 of the cutter head l5. A spur gear 69 is formed integrally with said spur gear 65 and is spaced thereabove. Said spur gear is of a larger diameter than said spur gear 65 and meshes with and drives a spur gear 10, journaled on its hub on a vertical shaft 1I. Said last mentioned spur gear is of a smaller diameter than said spur gear 69, to drive said vertical shaft at a higher rate of speed than the speed of rotation of said sleeve 23. Said vertical shaft is journaled adjacent its lower end in a bearing support member 13 mounted in the top portion of said casing and projects downwardly therefrom and has a bevel pinion 15 keyed on its lower end, which meshes with the bevel gear 51. Said vertical shaft is journaled at its upper end in a top cap piece 16, which forms a closure member for an upwardly projecting gear housing portion 11 of said casing.

An overload release clutch 18 is provided to drive the vertical shaft 1l from the spur gear 10. Said clutch may be of a well known form and is no part of my present invention, so will not herein be shown or described in detail except to set forth that it includes two engaging members 19 and 8D having meshing modied V-shaped jaws of a relatively low angle of incidence, which are held in engagement with each other by means of a r D compression-springl. -Upon overloadconditions, .as when the -helical l'screw :30 becomes jammed, the :memberfli will move out of engagement with thelmemberwi] against'the spring "8l until the overload conditions are relieved. l

l Themeans for `leveling the pile of cuttings dischargedby the helical screw 30 and' keeping said pile of cuttings `down to a predetermined height, includes alreciprocably movable scraper `83. Said scraper is supported in` a projecting arm #94 of .-a frame--84, for reciprocable movement therealong, onfafguide shaft 8E mounted in said arm at its ends, and is reciprocably moved along said frame byrmeans .of a reverselythreaded rotatable screw 86 journaled at its ends in said arm.

The frame 84 also includes an inner housing portion` 81 from which the arm 94 extends. Said inner-portion of said frameis mounted onan armulanlanged portion `8S of an upwardlyprm jecti-ngfcylindrical `portion 89 of the casing `2l, adi acent the discharge end of the tubular portion ofsaidcasing. A retaining ring 99, secured to the `bottom of said housing portion, abuts the underside 4'of the flange l38 -for retaining said frame `to said l annular iiange and permitting pivotal movement of ,said frame about said annular flange. A central boss 9| coaxial with the pivotalaxis of said frame extends downwardly froma top thereofland is pivotally mounted on the upperiend of avertical-shaft S3, which'is mounted at its lower end in the top of the casing.21. l Said arm ed is herein shown as being hollow.and.of asubstan'tially oval formation and open at itsbottom, to permit the scraper 83 to depend therefrom as it travels therealong.

The Ascraper l8?, is pivotally mounted between two spaced dependingilugs 92, 92 of a carrier 95 ona pivotal pin 95. ASaid carrier is slidably mountedontheguideshaft 85 and has the reversely threaded shaft `Sii extending therethrough. Said scraperhas a rearwardly projecting engagingrend 91, which isadapted to engage theunderside of the carrier 95, to hold said scraper lin a vertical `positionduring movement of said `carriertowardsthe outer end of said frame, and permit said scraper to pivot upwardly during movement of said carrier and scraper towards the .inner end of said frame. A follower 99 is pivotally mounted in said carrier member. Said follower .extends inwardly from the outer side of vsaid carrier member and engages the threads ofsaid `reversely threaded screw,lto cause said carrier and scraper` to move along said screw and guide` shaft and to reverse its direction oftravel whenitrreaches either end of said shaft, upon rotation of said `shaft in one direction, in a manner well known to those skilled inthe art.

,The inner end of the reversely threaded `serevv 8B has the hub of a bevel gear liii freely mounted thereon. Said bevel gear meshes with and is driven from Ya bevel pinion Nil journaled on the vertical shaft 93. A jaw clutch member` |63, which may be operated in a well known manner, is provided Vto selectively connect said reversely threaded shaft with said bevel gear. The bevel pinion Ilhas a spur gear Ill keyed on its hub, which meshes withand is driven froma spur gear 105 freely mounted on a vertical shaft |06, whichlshaftis mounted at its ends in the cutter bar support portion l1 of the cutter head I5. A spurgear |01 is shown as being formed integrally with the spur gear m and as being spaced beneath saidrspur gear. Said spur gear meshes with and is driven from the spur gear B3. w

"""Itmay 'be seen 4from the foregoing that when y scope thereof. Furthermorel donot wisht be the clutch member a I 03 fis', positionedvfto drive the reversely threaded -screw 86 from i thev rbevel` gear I 00, the scraper @B3 `will reciprocably imove i back and forthialong i the projecting ,arm 94 to engage and level the top of thepileofcuttings discharged by thehelical screwf30. `It -shouldhere befnoted that the bottomv of `the scraper w83y -is spaced f a slight distance. above v the casing @21 and isqalso a slight distance forwardly of said icasingat the end loffits path` of travel towardsithe discharge endl of the helical screw y3|),ito cause theidisclia-rge end of theecasing :21 tof-begclosed by*` thecuttings so thepile of cuttings willbebuilt upC from its inside in a manner-which has been clearly shown and described infPatentf No. 2,362,837, which; issuedto W. `T. McCullough onNov. l14, 1944,` to prevent the coal dust from beingk expelled.to. the `open air. During the leveling operationbyrsaid scraper83, the arm94 maybetangularlyvlmoved back` and forth Aabout theaxis of `the Vvertical shaft 93 under control of the operator, to change theposition of `said scraper to follow the cuttings dischargedby said helical screw, asr theacutter barA liirnovesin4 anarcuate path about 4the axis of the turntable during cutting. A suitable control rod having a hand gripron its .outer end (not shown) may be pivotallylconnected-to the outer end of said `arm to permit. theoperator tok-move it back and forth ata .distancesfrorn said traine.

While I have herein shown landdescribed one form in which my invention may be embodied, it

will be understood thatthei-,construction thereof and-the arrangement oftheyvarious'- parts maybe altered without departingA from the spirit and construed as limiting my invention, Atothe `isp cific embodiment illustrated, exceptingfas itfmay be limited in the appendedclaims. f y

`l claim as myinvention;

1. In combination with a "kerffcutting` machine adapted to cut along thetground. by' movement abouta vertical axis andhaving a dependingcutter head having a cutter barprojectingltherefrom with a cutter chain orbitally movable` about said cutter bar, means journaled in said vcutter head for driving said cutter chain about said cutter `bar `including a `vertif'zal :drive.inember having a cutter chainY drivesprocket mounted thereon, means ,mountedlat the rear end afraid cutter head in the ,path of .said ,cutterch'anras it travels about said sprocket forv collecting the cuttings cut by said cutter chain includingfa` cuttingsdischarge conveyor havinga casing extend-w,V

ing across the rear end of said cutter barwwitha screwv conveyor element mounted therein, [said casing openingtowards `said cutter chain ,"as it rounds .said sprocket in `cuttings receivingfrela-` tion with respect thereto, and `means for driving.

said screw conveyor `element from said drive member, including a gear mounted on sai-d drive member and driven thereby, a vertical `shaft spaced Afrom `said gear andgjournaledin said cas ing, a,l selective bevel gear reduction; from said vertical shaftto said screw. conveyor element, and a spur gear drive from saidgearto said vertical shaft.

M2. ,A cuttings VAremol/ing,device.ieulapt'edidi' clone r necnon with a. refr-cutting `machine, of the type adapted to` cut a. `kerf by movement of its cutter bar about a vertical axis 'comprisingfa `tulnlar casing having` a sort-:wv conveyor element. mounted therein vand adaptedtdbe mounted tothe rear of a cutter banincuttingsrecevirigrelation with.;

respect thereto at they point `where' `t having an opening cuttings receiving portionY in the path of the cutterchain andhaving a screw conveyor elementV mounted therein for discharging the cuttings beyond the end of said casing, said casing having opposite arcuate side wall portions extending outwardly and-forwardly of said open cuttings receiving portion and conforming to the path of said cutter chain as it reverses its direction of travel, and said arcuate sidewall portions with" the ground, serving to conne the cuttings to the path of said cutter chain and guide the cuttings into said open cuttings receiving portion of said casing and to keep down the dust caused by cutting. Y

3. In combination with a kerf-cutting machine having a dependingcutter head, a cutter chain carryingcutterbar projectingfrom said cutter head and adapted to cut a kerf by movement about a verticalaxis, cuttings collecting and discharging means mounted at the rear end of said cutter head in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain including a casing extending across `the rear end of saidcutter bar and having a screw conveyor element therein, andv meansY disposed above said screw conveyor element and operable during the cutting operatioru for' leveling off the pile of cuttings discharged by saidscrew conveyor element, to prevent the overloading of said screw conveyor element that would be caused by building up high piles of cuttings from the bottom of the pile by said screw conveyor element.

4; In combination with a kerf-cutting machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter chain carrying cutter bar projecting from said cutter head and adapted to cut a kerf by movement about a vertical axis, cuttings collecting and discharging means mounted at the rear end of said cutter head in cuttlngs'receiving relation with respect to said cutter lchain including a casing extending across the rear end of said cutter bar and having a screw conveyor element therein, and a reciprocating scraper mounted on said cutter head above said screw conveyor in the path of the cuttings discharged thereby, for leveling off the pile of coal discharged by said screw conveyor, to prevent they overloading of said screw conveyor element that would be caused by buildlng up high piles of cuttings from the inside of the pile by said screw conveyor element.

5. In combination with a kerf-cutting machine having -adependingvcutter head, a cutter chain carrying cutter bar projecting from said cutter head and adapted to cut a kerf by movement about a vertical axis, cuttings Vcollecting and discharging means mounted at the rear endof said cutter head in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain including a casing extending across the rear 'end of said cutter bar and having a screw conveyor element therein, and means disposed above said screw conveyor element and operable during the cutting operation for leveling off the pile of cuttings discharged by said-screw conveyor element, to prevent the overloading of said screw conveyor element that would be caused by building up high piles of cuttings from the inside of the pile iby said screw conveyor element, including a frame Vmountedvon the upper side of said casing adjacent the discharge end thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom, a scraper element mounted on said frame for movement therealong, and power means for moving said scraper along said frame.

6. In combination with a kerf-outting machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter chain carrying cutter bar projecting from said cutter head and adapted to cut a kerf by movement about a vertical axis, cuttings collecting and discharging means mounted at the rear end ofsaid cutter head in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain including a casing extending across the rear end of said cutter bar and having a screw conveyor element therein, and means disposed above said screw conveyor element and operable during the cutting operation for leveling olf the pile of cuttings discharged by said screw conveyor element, to prevent the overloading of said screw conveyor element that would be caused by building up high piles of cuttings from the inside of the pile by said screw conveyor element, including a frame mounted'on the upper side of said casing adjacent the discharge end thereof and having ari-arm projecting outwardly therefrom, a scraper elementmounted 'on said arm for movement therealonganddisposed above the discharge end of said'screw conveyor, and power means for moving saidA scraper along said arm including a power driven screw journaled in and extending along said arm, and an operative connection from said screw tosaid scraper. v y A 7. In combination with a kerf-cutting machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter Ychain carrying cutter bar'projectng from said cutter head and adapted to cut a kerf by movement about a vertical axis, cuttings collectingV and dis-V charging means mounted at the rear end of said cutter head in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain including a casing extending across the rear end of said cutter bar and having a screw conveyor element therein, and means disposed above said screw conveyor element and operable during the cutting operation for leveling off the pile of cuttings discharged by said screw conveyor element, to prevent the'o'verloading of said screw conveyor element that would be caused by building up high pilesl .of cuttings from the inside of the pile by said `screw conveyor element, including a frame mounted'on the top of said casing adjacent the discharge end thereof for adjustable movement about a vertical axis and having an arm projecting outwardly therefrom in the path of the cuttings discharged by said screw conveyor element, a scraper 'element depending from said `arm and mounted thereon for movement therealong and having a lower edge movable in a plane disposed a slight distance above the discharge end ofsaid screw conveyor element, and a power driven reversely threaded screw for reciprocably moving `said scraper along said arm.

8. In combination with a kerf-cutting machine adapted to cut along the ground by movement about a vertical axis and having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting from said cutter head, a cutter chain movable about said cutter bar, a drive member and sprocket journaled in said cutter head for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar, a screw conveyor mounted at the rear end of said cutter head in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain for collecting the cuttings discharged by said cutter chain and discharging them to the retreating side of saidcutter chain, ascraper mounted on said cutter head above saidk screw conveyor for reciprocable movement towards and veyor, and a drive connection from said drive member for said sprocket to said scraper, for reciprocably driving said scraper towards and from said cutter head.

9. In combination with a kerf-cutting machine adapted to cut about a vertical axis and having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting from said cutter head, a cutter lchain movable about said cutter bar, a drive member and sprocket journaled in said cutter head for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar, a screw conveyor mounted at the rear end ci said cutter head in cuttings receiving relation with respect to said cutter chain for collecting the cuttings discharged by said cutter chain and discharging them to the retreating side of said Icutter chain, power means operable during the cutting operation for ieveling off the pile formed by said screw conveyor, to prevent the overloading of said screw conveyor that would be caused by building up high piles of cuttings from the inside of the pile by said screw conveyor, including ia frame mounted on said cutter head and having an arm projecting therefrom in the path of the cuttings dis-charged by said screw conveyor and adjustably movable about a vertical axis, a scraper depending from |and mounted on said arm for reciprocable movealong the ground by movement ment therealong, but having a bottom scraping surface movable in a plane disposed a slight distance 4above said screw conveyor, a reversely threaded feed screw journaled in said arm and operatively connected with said scraper, for reciprocably moving said scraper along said frame upon rotation of said screw 'in one direction, and ia selective drive connection from said drive member for said sprocket to said feed screw, for rotatably driving said screw.

FRANK A. IJNDGREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,968,107 Vodoz July 31, 1934 1,897,984 Lindgren .---ru Feb. 14, 1933 1,900,780 Vodoz a Mar. 7, 1933 2,302,460 Osgood Nov. 17, 1942 2,362,837 McCullough Nov. 14, 1944 2,268,260 Mayor Dec. 30, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 545,718 Great Britain Juney 9, 1942i 

